Magnetically or electrosensitive inked numerals in place of standard postage stamps

ABSTRACT

Stamps with a machine readable numeral component of the zip code are provided. Purchased and used as postage, these stamps are applied to the mail in plurality for optimum machine sorting by the combinations thus made. The sender in this way provides for complete machine handling at the post office.

United States Patent Kessler [4 1 Mar. 28, 1972 54] MAGNETICALLY 0R306,674 10/1884 Cooke ..1s0/41 x ELECTROSENSITIVE INKED 401,961 4/1889McCalmont.... ..150/41 U ERAL I LA 0 STANDARD 2,709,001 5/1955 Stahl...235/6l.l2 C 3,083,904 4/1963 Brenner et a]. ..235/61 .12

POSTAGE STAMPS 3,092,402 6/1943 Reed ..235/6l.12 N

[72] inventor: Henry F. Kessler, 1125 Sulphur Spring Road, Baltimore,Md. 21227 [22] Filed: Sept. 17, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 858,752

[52] U.S. Cl. ..235/61.12 N

[51] Int. Cl. ..G06k 19/06 [58] Field of Search... 150/41; 283/22;93/73; 235/6l.l2, 61.l2 N, 61.12 C, 61.114, 61.11

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re25,998 3/1966 Silverschotz..209/l1l. 8 V i 1 Primary Examiner-Daryl W. Cook Attorney-Walter G.Finch ABSTRACT Stamps with a machine readable numeral component of thezip code are provided. Purchased and used as postage, these stamps areapplied to the mail in plurality for optimum machine sorting by thecombinations thus made. The sender in this way provides for completemachine handling at the post MR ./0H/V DOE 345 SOMEOTHEI? PLACE cm,STATE 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEnmza m2 3,652 830 sum 1 OF 2 MRJOHN 005 545 SOMEOTHER PLACE 0/, STATE HE/VR) F KESSLE'R INVENTORATTORNEY BY my: 7%

MAGNETICALLY OR ELECTROSENSITIV E INKED NUMERALS IN PLACE OF STANDARDPOSTAGE STAMPS This invention relates generally to envelopes formailing, and more particularly it pertains to machine readablepostagedestination coupons.

Mail sorting systems have been proposed in the past which includemachine handling. One factor which prevented complete automation,however, was the difficulty of machine recognition of the widelydiffering individual character of the addressing and the placement ofsame on the envelope. The public has become conditioned to correctlyplacing postage on envelopes for cancellation whereas the zip code asnow appended has poor cognizance and is not so localized as to bereadily machine readable nor is it ever likely to be with presentpractice.

With these factors in mind, it is an object of this invention to providea combined postage stamp and zip code indicating arrangement whereby theact of placement of postage by the sender also codifies the letter forautomatic sorting by destination.

Another object of this invention is to provide general destination codecoupons having postage payment value when affixed to mail.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more readilyapparent and understood from the detailed specification and accompanyingdrawings in which:

F IG. 1 is a depiction of the face of an envelope prepared for mailingwith the novel postage-destination code coupons incorporating featuresof this invention;

H68. 2, 3 and 4 illustrate booklets of postage-destination couponsprovided respectively in groups of the same denomination, of the mostused prefix denominations, and of an assortment of denominations of thezip code.

Referring now to the details of the drawing as shown in FIG. 1,reference numeral indicates generally an addressed envelope. In place ofthe usual postage stamp or stamps at the upper right hand edge of theenvelope, the sender has applied a plurality of coupons 12, generallyfive, having, say, a postage payment value of 1 cent each. These coupons12 differ from conventional postage stamps in carrying a single numeral14 which is machine readable by being of standardized characprefixdenominations, or assorted for the casual user.

As an incentive, the use of these coupons 12 as postage could be thecombined five zip code denominations costing 5 cents whereas a 6 centpostage stamp would otherwise be required.

Where overweight, special delivery, or airmail postage is required, thedifference would be paid by affixing a regular postage stamp 22 adjacentthe coupons 12 as shown in FIG. 1.

In a modern mail sorting post office arrangement as shown 0 in FIG. 5,the operations are indicated by eight well-known teristic, i.e.: shapeof character, or of material composition. Of

identified steps. Namely step 1 of incoming mail, step 2 of culler ofthe mail, step 3 of stacking and cancelling the mail, step 4 of operatorencoding of the mail, step 5 of optical scanning and encoding of themail, step 6 of stacking the mail,

step 7 of sorting the mail, and finally step 8 of sequencing of themail.

As the proposed use of the novel coupons 12 of this invention becomeuniformly used, as related, the step 4 of operator encoding of the mailwhich involves human operations would become superfluous and a speed-upwith accompanying lower cost would result.

Large or mass mailers could use the magnetically or electrosensitivestamp system with the use of a postage meter machine. This machine wouldhave five columns of 10 digits with buttons with which the zip codewould be printed on the envelopes in the same position, shape, size,spacing and material composition as the magnetically or electrosensitivestamp.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in light of the above teachings. it is, therefore, to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. An envelope mailing system, comprising, structure defining anenvelope having an area therein for receiving an address, five couponscorresponding to a zip code applied at the upper right hand edge of saidenvelope, with each said coupons carrying a single standardizedcharacteristic designation thereon, with each said designation being ofstandardized characteristic as to shape of character and materialcomposition of said designation, with said coupons corresponding to azip code being machine readable, and at least one conventional stamppositioned adjacent said coupons.

2. An envelope mailing system as recited in claim 1, wherein saidmaterial composition is magnetic.

3. An envelope mailing system as recited in claim 1, wherein saidmaterial composition is fluorescent.

4. An envelope mailing system as recited in claim 1, wherein saidmaterial composition is radioactive.

5. An envelope mailing system as recited in claim 1, wherein saidmaterial composition is of electro-conductive ink.

1. An envelope mailing system, comprising, structure defining anenvelope having an area therein for receiving an address, five couponscorresponding to a zip code applied at the upper right hand edge of saidenvelope, with each said coupons carrying a single standardizedcharacteristic designation thereon, with each said designation being ofstandardized characteristic as to shape of character and materialcomposition of said designation, with said coupons corresponding to azip code being machine readable, and at least one conventional stamppositioned adjacent said coupons.
 2. An envelope mailing system asrecited in claim 1, wherein said material composition is magnetic.
 3. Anenvelope mailing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said materialcomposition is fluorescent.
 4. An envelope mailing system as recited inclaim 1, wherein said material composition is radioactive.
 5. Anenvelope mailing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said materialcomposition is of electro-conductive ink.